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THE MEDIA AFRICA ANNUAL_digital

Sehortun Afcira 41
Media consumption
Weekend Post (weekly).
Two more important media
companies are the private
weekly, Financial Gazette (Modus
Publications) and Zi FM, the
country’s first privately owned
and sixth major radio station,
which is part of African Business
Communications.
The magazine space includes
the monthlies Out of Africa, Domino
and The Parade. Both newspapers
and magazines include a large
spillover from South Africa in the
newspaper sector.
Zimbabwe’s television industry
has not expanded beyond the
services provided by ZTV. In 2012
the government promised to open
up the airwaves within 12 months,
presumably to include ownership of
television stations by private players,
nevertheless almost two years later
there are no new players in this
sector. DStv is available via satellite.
Zimbabwe’s government
signed into law the Access to
Information and Protection to
Privacy Act (AIPPA) used to monitor
the operations of the broadcast
and print media. This is despite the
constitution guaranteeing freedom
of expression and of the press.
Through AIPPA the private media
continue to suffer from government
interferences or controls. Media
watchdogs point out that the law,
which was slightly eased in 2008,
continues to curtail press freedom
and have called for its further
relaxation or outright removal.
Another setback for Zimbabwean
media is the delay in the digitisation
process, now reported to be
completed in 2017 from the initial
deadline of March this year.
Despite this, new technology
trends have been welcomed by all
the four major media operators and
even smaller ones, who recently
moved, or continue to be digitally
inventive to offer their products
and services in online formats. This
has brought relative respite as they
leverage more revenue streams or
circumvent specific costs associated
with traditional media.
Still, the current media situation
would improve with the economy’s
return to full economic normalcy. n
ZIMBABWE FAST FACTS
Population: 14 229 541, Urban: 32.4%
of total population
Age
structure:
0-14 years: 37.88%, 15-24
years: 21.65%, 25-54
years: 33.4%, 55-64 years:
3.57%, 65 years and
over: 3.49%
Ethnic
groups:
Shona: 82%; Ndebele:
14%; other Black: 2%;
Mixed/Asian: 1%; White:
under 1%
Languages: English (official), Shona,
Sindebele (Ndebele),
numerous minor dialects
Literacy: 15+ read/write: total:
83.6%
Income: Share of income of
highest 10%: 40.4%,
Under poverty line: 68%
Internet
users:
5 348 433
Internet
penetration:
38.80%
Source OMG Africa Sep 2015
Radio listenership
Radio Zimbabwe:1 013 398/28%
Power FM: 975 111/27%
Zi FM: 596 687/17%
National FM: 294 998/8%
Newspaper readership
The Herald (daily): 1 472 499/41%
Daily News: 901 748/25%
H-Metro (daily): 864 116/24%
The Sunday Mail (weekly):
1 364 210/38%
B-Metro (weekly): 504 583/14%
Kwayedza (weekly): 322 417/ 9%
* Source: Zimbabwe Advertising Research
Foundation - November 2015 survey
based on urban areas only.